Electrical ship&#39;s-log apparatus.



No. 70l,65|. Patented June 3, 1902 T. "F. & T. S. WALKER.

ELECTRICAL SHIPS LOG APPARATUS;

(Application filed Sept. 9, 1901.)"

(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet I.

T7: Vania/a i'lzamflltli'er 61 Ma /fer 1o LITNQ, WASHINEYON, I; c,

' Patent ed June 3, |902.

T. F. 81. T. S. WALKER.

ELECTRICAL SHIP'S LOG APPARATUS.

(Application filed Sept. 9, 1901.)

7 sheetssheet 2.

(No Model.)

Zz'zzezsaas No. 70l,65|. Patented lune 3, I902.

T. F. 81. T. S. WALKER. ELECTBICAL SHIPS LOG APPARATUS.

(Application filed Sept. 9, 1901.)

7M5 NORRW PET?"= CD PHOTOUTHQ WASPGNGTON. D. C

No. 701,65l. v Patented lune 3,1902.

T.v F,- & T s. WALKER. ELECTRICAL SHIPS LOG APPARATUS.

A pplication" fild'sept. 9.1901. (N0 lfl h) 7 Shedts-fSheet 4.

'1 "L-l YIIII "m: mumps PETERS cu. PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHKNGTON, o, c.

Patented June 3, 1902.

N0. 7U|,65L

' T. F. &' T. s. WALKER.

ELECTRICAL SH IPS LOG APPARATUS.

(Application filed Sept. 9, 1901.) (N IL? '7 Sheets-Sheet 5.

myezzfanfi THE MINER PFIF l( rc PHOVO N D c Patented June 3, I902.

T. F. &. T. S. WALKER. ELECTRICAL SHIPS LOG APPARATUS.

(Applicatin filed Sept. 9, 1901.)

L 7 Sheets-Sheet 6.

(No Model.)

mew/:9 amwzzflazier No. 70!,65l. Patented June 3, I902.

- T. F. &. T. S. WALKER.

ELECTRICAL SHIPS LOG APPARATUS.

(Afiplication filed Sept. 9, 1901.

(No Model.) 1 Sheets-Sheet 7.

waifizassas,

UNITED STATES P TENT OFFICE.

THOMAS FERDINAND WALKER AND THOMAS SYDNEY WALKER, OF BIRMINGHAM,ENGLAND.

ELECTRICAL SHlPS-LOG APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 701,651, dated June 3,1902.

Application filed September 9, 1901. Serial No. 74,855. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that we, THoMAs FERDINAND WALKER and THOMAS SYDNEYWALKER,both of the firm of Thomas Walker & Son, engineers, subjects ofthe King of Great'B'ritain, residing at 58 Oxford street, Birmingham, inthe county of Warwick, England, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in or Relating to Electrical Ship-Log Apparatus, (for whichapplication has been madein Great Britain, No. 4,005, dated February 25,1901,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ship-log apparatus in which electrical energyis employed in the transmission of the motions of a rotator in the waterto mechanism on board ship with the aid of wheelwork and gearingemployed in reducing those motions, so as to indicate measurements ofdistance through which the vessel towing the rotator has run. It hasbeen found in practice to be detrimental to the prolonged efficiency oflog-registering apparatus of this class (subject, as the rotative partsare, to sudden and spasmodic or variable speeds of oscillations) toemploy electrical contacts of any great duration, because for one reasondisturbance of continuity of contact, or, as it is called, chattering,and a plurality of impulses, when only one is desirable, may result. Toguard against this danger, we have devised mechanism by which any suchdangerous length of contact may be avoided and a very limited extent ofcontact insured, which contact shall be, furthermore, uniform in pointof time as well as in actual distance traversed relatively by the partswhile in their rubbing contact. This period of rubbing contact we makepractically independent of any lagging, stopping, or racing that maycause intermittentrotation of the motor portion of the mechanism, and wethereby nullify the ill efiects of such irregularity arising fromvariations of torsional strains and movements between the rotator andvthe parts impelled to rotate by it or from other cause. In order toeffect this result, we have designed mechanism in which a toothed wheel,actuated by substantially usual gearing, revolves in harmony with theprimary spindle, whose rotations are brought about by the rotator in thewater. On the axis of this toothed wheel is mounted a barrel, which isloose on said axis, except by a connection with a spring coiled therein.The end of this coiled spring (opposite to the end affixed tothe axisrevolving within this barrel) is connected to the barrel, so as to giveto the barrel a constant tendency to rotate sympathetically with thesaid axis, and a partial coiling of the spring on said axisincreasesthat tendency. A stud on the periphery of the barrel, contacting with apin projecting from the face of the toothed wheel referred to, limitsthe uncoiling of the spring and the extent of movement of the barrelrelatively to the axis, while the spring-pressure keeps the stud againstthe pin and the barrel and toothed wheel rotate in unison until, as willbe explained, the motion of the barrel is temporarily arrested. Thisstud projects beyond this pin, and in its rotation with the barrel andwheel its path brings it in contact with a projection from a centereddetent or latch, and by this projection from the latch the stud iswithheld from following in its path the rotation of the toothed wheeland of the shorter pin. This Withholding of the stud also holds thebarrel from rotation, and, furthermore, such stoppage and thecontinuance of rotation of the axis causes afurther winding up of thebarrel-spring. A spring affixed in rear of the latch keeps it normallyin its position to obstruct the stud in its path of rotation. Around aportion of the periphery of the barrel is applied a projecting block,which serves as a circuit-closer when in contact with a contact-piecefixed so as to come into electrical rubbing contact with said block asthe barrel-carrying block rotates'past said contact-piece. Thiscontact-piece is herein shown as a spring, which is insulated, while bya'wire attached to its terminal it is electricallyconnected to one poleof a battery, the other pole of which is connected by another wire tothe framework of the instrument and by continuity of electricalconductivity to the barrel andthe circuit-closer block mounted'thereon,thereby constituting the circuit-closer and the insulated spring twofree ends of an electric circuit. A second pin projects from the face ofthe toothed wheel referred to,'which "pin in in the rotation of saidwheel comes once in each complete revolution in contact with an inclineon the under side of the latch or de tent, and in doing so lifts thedetent against the influence of its depressing-spring, and in liftingthe detent and its projection referred to releases the barrel-stud andbarrel and its spring, until then temporarily withheld fromparticipation in the continuous rotation of the axis and its toothedwheel. The barrel thus released flies round on its axis, causing itsattachmentthe circuit-closer-to effect a short rubbing contact with theinsulated spring and during that short contact to close the electriccircuit.

Our invention embraces a usual rotator, caused to rotate by the pressureof the water, means of conveyance of such rotation to a primary spindleactuating a train of wheelwork of substantially usual or convenientkind, (such primary spindle rotating continuously, although possiblyintermittently as regards speed,) an axis on which is mounted a toothedWheel actuated by the primary spindle and on which axis is mountedloosely a barrel, a spring within said barrel, connected at one endthereto and at the other end aflixed to the axis rotating within it, astud on the periphery of the barrel, a corresponding stud on the toothedwheel to limit extent of relative movement of barrel and axes, a studfor releasing the barrel-stud from the detent, a detent and detentcatch, a circuitcloser mounted on the barrel, an insulated springcontactarranged in the path of rotation of the circuit-closer, a source ofelectrical energy, as a battery, conductors of electricity and mechanismfor indicating the movements of the register and of the contactingparts, so as to indicate thereby the progress of the vessel expressed inmeasures of length, as by means for transmitting the electric impulsesthrough the medium of an electromagnet working a make and break devicewith ratchet and pawl or any other well-known means by which wheelworkcan be moved by push-and-pull action, a barrel-spring coiled therein, anaxis on which said barrel is loosely mounted and a toothed wheel isaftixed, a stud on the barrel and a stop or stops on the toothed wheel,a detent and detent-spring cooperating with said stud and pins, acircuitcloser combined with said barrel, a spring contact-piece andmeans for conveying mechanical rotary motion to said axis and means fortransmitting electrical impulses to registering, indicating, orindicating and annunciating apparatus in any convenient part or parts ofthe circuit on the ship, the closing device so operating that theelectric circuit is closed for only a limited and constant period notvariable with variations of speed of rotation of the motor and so thatthe closing takes place after the beginning of the flight of the barrelcarrying the circuit-closer upon disengagement from the detent andbefore the end of that flight by contact of the'barrel-stop with thestop on the toothed Wheel, whereby the length and duration of flow ofthe electric energy is made entirely independent of the acceleration orretardation of the motion of the motor mechanism and is made reliablyconstant at all variations of speed of the motor, and, further, theduration of contact is rendered capable of regulation by adjustment ofthe tension given to the spring in its normal position of rest withinthe barrel.

Figure 1 is a front view of apparatus constructed according to ourinvention, the various parts being shown in a position they assume whenat rest. Fig. 2 is an edge view of the parts shown by Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa similar view to Fig. 1, but showing the parts in the position theyassume when the projecting stud on the periphery of the springbarrel isarrested by the detent. Fig. 4 is an edge view of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is asimilar view to Figs. 1 and 3, but showing the parts in the positionthey assume when the stud on the large toothed wheel is about to liftthe detent, and by that lifting allowing the contact-piece on thespring-barrel to complete an electrical circuit through thecircuitcloser. Fig. 6 is an edge view of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a similarView to Figs. 1, 3, and 5, with parts rotated so that the detent islifted, the spring-barrel has been released, and the contact-piece is inthe act of making contact with the circuit-closer. Fig. 8 is an edgeview of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a similar view to Figs. 1, 3, 5, and 7,showing the parts in a higher position they assume in the cycle ofoperations-namely, with the detent lifted, the spring-barrel released,it having made contact with the circuit-closer, and having been broughtto rest by means of a stop on the large toothed wheel and a projectingstud on the periphery of the spring-barrel. Fig. 10 is an edge view ofFig. 9. Fig. 11 is a plan View of a log-register case fitted, theregister-case being broken away in order to show a front view of partsof the apparatus applied therein. Fig. 12 is a logregister case, such asshown in Fig. 11, this case also being broken away to show an edge viewof internal parts. Fig. 13 is a side elevation of the register-case,partly broken away to show the wheelwork-actuating pinion. Fig. 14 is aside view, partly in section, of the terminal box and terminals attachedto the logregister case. Fig. 15 is a plan of Fig. 14, partly insection. Fig. 16 is a plan of the barrel, showing the hooks forconnecting the spring thereto and to the axle; and Fig. 17 is a viewshowing the rotator, log, and a register.

We employ a rotator A of the usual de scription, which is caused torotate by the water, and its rotations are transmitted by a flexibleconnection B to wheelwork of substantially usual description 0, by whichmechanically these motions are indicated by usual pointers movingrelatively to dials bearing ordinary indications of distancesuch as onemile, one hundred miles, and one thousand miles(dials with subsidiarydivisions) and from the primary spindle or any convenient part of thisregistering wheelwork we transmit the rotatory motion through a pinion gto a toothed wheel a, on.

which is mounted a barrel 6, containing a toothed wheel a and to thebarrel 11. Projecting from the face of the toothed wheel is a stud lo,and from the periphery of the barrel is another stud 01. These two studsin and d, the spring having been sufficiently wound up by rotation ofthe wheel a and barrel Z) relativelyto each other, are put intoengagement, whereby relative rotation of the barrel.

1) independently of the wheel a and its axle cis limited to less thanone rotation. On the periphery of the drum or barrel 1) is mounted I anelectrical contact-piece b, which contacts with a suitable elasticcircuit-closer or circuit-closers Z, attached to a terminal or terminalsm, by which the electric circuit D is com-' pleted and the electricalcurrent conveyed to a point or points where indications of the movementsof the rotator through the mechanism are shown on other dials bypointers whose motions are brought about by such transmitted electricalenergy.

The toothed wheel a and the barrel 1),

V mounted on the same spindle c, normally rotate together under theinfluence of the me chanical connection with the first spindle orintermediate rotation-transmitting parts, as stated; but at aprearranged point the projecting stud cl on the barrel 1) comes incontact with a projection f from a hinged lever or detent-lever 6, socentered and adjusted that the contacting parts stay the rotatoryprogress of'the barrel b and set up a relative movementbetween thebarrel b and its connected wheel a and axle c, causing the spring vltobe further wound up, until in the rotation of the toothed wheel a another stud n, projecting from such wheel comes against an incline part eon the detent-lever and trips the engaged parts thereof and of thebarrel 1), whereupon the released barrel b fiies around a portion of arotation, giving arapid and uniform contact between the electricalcontacting parts I), l, and m, as described, andshown in Figs. 7 and 8,thereby closing the electric circuit and transmitting an electricimpulse to'a registering apparatus E in any suitable location on thelineof the circuit, the wheelwork of which registering apparatus is actuatedby the transmitted electric impulse through the medium of anelectromagnet F, working a make-and-break action with ratchet and pawl Gor any of the well-known methods by which wheelwork is moved by analternating push and pull movement. The duration of contact is thereforereliably constant at all speeds and is regulatable by the amountoftension of the spring inside the barrel 1), combined with the extentof the arc of the rubbing surface of the part b. A spring 0 engages thedetent and locks the parts to their work. The coil-spring in the barrelkeeps the'projection d in contact with the stud orpin k. To vary thespring tension,

the barrel can be lifted away from the toothed wheel until d is able topass overk. Then by revolving the barrel relatively to thetoothed wheela complete revolution either way, as required, and again letting thebarrel fall back into position for cl to contact against the tension ofthe spring will be weakened or strengthened, according to the directionin which the barrel has'been revolved. The primaryspindle by dog andcarrier connections rotates a primary .worm or screw 8, in which theworm Wheel 1) is geared. The wormwheelp is attachedto the axis h, onwhich thepinion g is mounted.

In Fig. 13, G is the casing, inwhich is arranged the wheelwork-actnatingpinion p, the latter engaging with the worm or screw 8 on the spindle s.The reference-numeral 2 denotes a coupling for connecting the spindle sto the flexible. connection B. The coupling 2'is arranged Within andprojects from the casing G and is provided with an eye or ring 3, towhich the flexible connection B is secured.

In Fig. 14, 4t 5 denote the binding-posts for the wires forming thecircuit G, and 6 denotes a battery or source of electrical supply. Thereference-numeral 7 denotes the terminalbox, in which are arranged thebinding-posts, and is, as shown, attached to the casing O. The wires ofthe circuit G extend through a sleeve 8, connected by the gland 9 to thebox 7.

In Fig. 17 thenumeral 10 denotes a standard for supporting the casing 0.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declarethat what we claim is- 1. In a ships log, the combination with 'a trainof wheelwork, a rotator and connections between the wheelwork androtator, of an in-- te'rmittently-operating circuit-closer, acontact-piece cooperating therewith, means operated by the wheelwork forrotating the said circuit-closer, a detent, a spring engaging therewith,a toothed wheel, a stop carried by said means and pins on the said wheelcooperating with the said detent, a register mechanism, and means forconveying electrical.

impulses to said mechanism.

2. In a shipslog; a train of wheelwork ending in a primary spindleandtooth-wheel, a rotator to actuate said train, a spring-containingbarrel, a contact circuit-closer mounted on said barrel, a springconnecting said primary'spindle and barrel, means on said tooth-wheelrestricting the relative movement of barrel and tooth-wheel, means foradjusting the tension of said spring, a detent device cooperating withsaid spring-impelled barrel and means for conveying to and from the endsof a circuit and through said cir cuit-closer impulses of electricalenergy.

3. In a ships log; a register actuated by impulses of electrical energy,an electric circuit, an insulated contact-piece forming one terminalpole of the circuit, an intermittently-rotating circuit-closer, aterminal pole for the opposite end of the circuit electrically connectedto said circuit-closer, a barrel carrying said closer, a spindlerevolving Within said barrel, a coiled spring connected by its oppositeends to the said barrel and spindle, a toothed member of train of motivewheelwork and means for alternately restraining and permitting therotation of said springimpelled barrel in cooperation with a detent.

4. An electric circuit, an insulated spring contact-piece, acontact-closer, a spring-impelled barrel carrying said closer, an axistherefor, a gear-Wheel and train of impelling mechanism, means limitaryof the relative rotation of barrel and gear-wheel, and detent devicesfor successively restraining revolution of the barrel and circuit-closerand permitting of rapid rotatory flight, substantially as set forth.

5. An open electric circuit, an insulated spring contact-piece formingone pole of the circuit, a source of electrical energy in said circuitand mechanical motive mechanism in electrical connection with theopposite pole of the circuit, a rotative intermittently-contactingcircuit-closer, an axis common to the barrel and to the terminal memberof a motive train of rotative mechanism and a spring connecting thebarrel and terminal member referred to in combination with a detentdevice and stops on the barrel and terminal member of the motive train.

6. In a ships log, a circuit-closer periodically rotating in unison witha member of a train of wheelwork, a contact-piece cooperating therewith,a spring, a barrel and a motor-axis to which opposite ends of the springare connected, said barrel carrying said circuit-closer, a detent, aspring engaging the same, a stop on said barrel, a toothed wheel, a pinon said wheel, and means for conveying electrical impulses to a registermechanism.

7. In an electrical ship-log mechanism, a continuously-rotating member,an intermittently-operating member,a spring connecting the two memberstogether and operated by the continuously-rotating member for suitablyoperating the intermittently-operating member, a circuit-closer fixed tothe said intermittently-operating member, a contact cooperating withsaid closer for opening and closing an electrical circuit, and detentdevices for successively restraining the operation of theintermittently-operating circuitcloser and permitting the rapid rotatoryflight thereof.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands in presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

THOMAS FERDINAND WALKER. THOMAS SYDNEY WALKER.

Witnesses:

HUME CHANCELLOR PINSENT, JOHN EDWARD VVILLMOTT.

